A Serious Matter
by Rosa Cotton
Summary: Preparing to go to a party, Susan discusses with Peter the subject of his finding a girl… PreLast Battle.


Disclaimer: _The Chronicles of Narnia,_ all characters, places, and related terms belong to C.S. Lewis.

Author's Note: I was rereading Sentimental Star's _Nighttime Demons_, when a certain part in chapter seven jumped out at me. This inspiration resulted in…well, this story. I'm not sure if Susan and Peter are completely in character or not. Enjoy and please let me know what you think.

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A Serious Matter

Peter looks up from his book when Susan enters the room. Her brown hair is pulled back in a bun, and her red dress shows off her slender figure. She wears blue eye shadow, some blush on her cheeks, and red lipstick.

_Off to another party_, he sighs to himself.

"Do I look all right?" Susan asks a little nervously, turning to him for inspection.

"Yes, as always," he assures her. Personally, he thinks she does not need the makeup – she is prettier without it.

She presses her hands together. "Henry Temple will be at the party," she explains, seeing her brother's quizzical raised eyebrow.

"Ah," he nods. The famous Henry Temple, cousin of Susan's friend, Sarah, whom the Pevensie family has heard so much about. Sarah has been insisting on introducing the two for several weeks without any success, until now. Susan has been quite excited about meeting this boy, but now she is looking a little lost.

"Sarah said she has told him all about me," Susan goes on, examining her reflection in the small mirror hanging on the wall. "Suppose he doesn't like me? Sarah would be so disappointed," she worries.

"And you also?"

Susan glances at Peter over her shoulder. "Well, I don't really know. It will be our first meeting. But he sounds very nice; Sarah says he is quite handsome. I hope he likes me," she confesses.

Peter shakes his head slightly. "If he does not, there are the many other boys you can have your pick of," he reminds her.

"Oh, them, well, indeed." Susan waves a hand dismissively and turns back to the mirror. "Some of them are such dears; it is hard to make up my mind which one I like best."

Peter really cannot understand why she is so interested with makeup and parties and boys. Susan is smart and could do anything if she went to a university. But she has not the slightest interest for studies. Her world revolves around her friends. Almost every evening she goes out to some party or other. Peter has lost count of how many lads have called on her. She loves the attention they shower on her but is unwilling to accept one as a beau.

He knows Mum and Dad are concerned. Hardly any of the family sees Susan anymore. Sometimes he feels like he has just one sister instead of two. And she is still young…

"Peter? Peter!"

The boy realizes Susan is waving her hand in front of his face. He meets her concerned eyes.

"Sorry, I was just thinking. What did you say?"

"I asked if you wanted to come along," she says.

Peter had gone with her to one of her parties. It had been a long night. He had been introduced to all his sister's friends, who had welcomed him warmly. While some had tried to help him have a good time, he had been, truthfully, bored.

"No, thank you," he replies, picking up his book. "I'm waiting for Edmund and Lucy to get back from the movies."

"If you are sure," Susan says, drawing back. "Hilda Park was hoping particularly that you would come," she adds, watching for her brother's reaction out of the corner of her eye.

The boy blinks in surprise. Hilda… He places the name with a girl with a warm smile, red hair, and green eyes. She had been the one who made the most effort to make him feel welcome at that one party he attended. She had been polite and nice, with a sense of humor.

He silently shakes his head and returns his attention to his book.

Susan frowns slightly. "She has asked me about you, Peter, _a number of times_," she hints. "I believe she desires to see you again."

"I would rather not go," Peter says simply.

"Did you not like her?" Susan puts her hands on her waist.

"Your friend is a nice girl," he admits slowly.

The two siblings look at each other for a long moment. Peter runs a hand through his hair and continues.

"I am busy with my studies. I do not have time for….," he trails off.

"I think you should go. Hilda is a very sweet girl, and I've known her for a long time. You would like her once you got to know her. And I know Dad and Mum would approve—"

"_Approve!_" Peter interrupts her, shocked. His book falls into his lap. "What do you mean 'approve'?"

"Oh, honestly, Peter!" Susan says, shaking her head. "You know what I mean. I'm certain Dad and Mum would approve of her if you became serious about her."

Her brother stares at her, his mouth open. Interpreting his stunned silence, Susan narrows her eyes.

"You have never seriously thought about a girl that way?" she asks incredulously.

Peter finally finds his tongue. "No," he says firmly, "I have not."

"Why ever not?" Susan demands. "There are a number of my friends besides Hilda who are interested in you."

Peter's gaze slips down to the carpet. A troubled frown crosses his face.

"Having a girl would not interfere with your studies. And you are certainly old enough to have one and settle down."

"Settle down," Peter chuckles, but it lacks humor. "I am only nineteen."

"So? Emily was nineteen when she got married last year," Susan refers to their cousin.

The boy slowly shakes his head. "Marriage is a great responsibility and requires serious thought," he answers. "I will probably not consider the possibility until after I finish university." He meets his sister's eyes, concerned. "You shouldn't rush into anything, either."

Exasperated, the girl huffs, "You don't always have to be so noble and magnificent, Peter."

Slight hurt touches the boy's face but then vanishes. "I'm sorry, Su," he says quietly. "I just never really thought about it before. There is no one I'm interested in. And even if there is a girl sometime…," a strange tightness creeps into his tone, "she would have to know everything about me."

A corner of Susan's mouth turns up. "Brilliant insight, Professor Pevensie," she says with amusement and claps dryly.

"Everything," Peter repeats, a far-off expression in his eyes. "What I like, dislike, how I get along with my family, friends. What are my strengths, my faults, things that are important to me. And she would have to know about…"

He glances at Susan. The tightness of her lips reveals she knows what is left unsaid. Searching her eyes, he sees only frustration, disapproval, and disbelief. Tension fills the room.

Before either one can attempt to speak, the doorbell rings. The tension dissolves a little.

"That's my ride," Susan states the obvious.

Peter only nods. He watches her gather her purse and coat. "Tell Mum and Dad I will be back late," she says.

"Yes, ma'am."

She pauses by his chair on her way out the door. She studies him for a moment and drops a kiss on his forehead. Peter smiles sadly; it has been a long time since she did that.

"Just think about what I said, Peter," she whispers in his ear, the scent of her perfume filling his nose. Then she straightens and goes into the hallway.

"Have a nice time," he calls after her.

"Thanks, I will," her words drift back.

Moments later, the door opens, and a boy's voice greets her before the door closes.

Tapping his fingers on the cover of his book, Peter stares at the wall, the conversation running through his mind again and again. _She would have to know about Narnia, _he thinks. He pushes the troubling subject aside when he hears Dad, Ed, and Lu return. He will think about it later.

THE END


End file.
